More in Real Estate

Portland council votes 8-1 to pass $236 million budget, close city-run health clinic

Activists aren't placated by an amendment that will slow the transition of services from the India Street clinic to a nonprofit, showering chants of 'Shame!' on the councilors as they storm out of City Hall.

The Portland City Council voted 8-1 Monday night to close a city-run health clinic on India Street as part of a $236 million budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, prompting activists to storm out of City Hall chanting “Shame!”

The time line for winding down services at the India Street Public Health Center and transitioning services to the nonprofit Portland Community Health Center will be slower than first proposed by City Manager Jon Jennings, who originally envisioned the transition by the end of the year.

The city-run clinic offers a constellation of related services, including treatment for HIV-positive patients, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and a needle exchange program.

It serves roughly 1,640 patients, including 220 HIV-positive patients, according to the city, and employs 15 people. The patient count does not include over 900 people who use the needle exchange, which distributes more than 140,000 clean needles annually, or those who use the anonymous STD services.

About 220 HIV-positive patients would be transitioned, if they so choose, to the nonprofit clinic by the end of the calendar year. The needle exchange and the HIV-sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment would remain at 103 India St. indefinitely, although the nonprofit would take over management of those programs on July 1, 2017.

The Portland Free Clinic, an independent nonprofit, will continue to operate out of 103 India St.

The proposal was amended to include two HIV-positive patients from India Street on the transition team, as well as two Portland Community Health Center patients and one community member selected by Jennings. City staff will report progress to the council’s Health and Human Services Committee at least once every other month.

City councilors noted that the decision is being driven by the potential loss of a $356,500 federal Ryan White grant vital to providing HIV services to patients, and by the costs of meeting federal requirements to institute electronic medical records at the clinic. They also noted that few municipalities provide direct clinical services.

Mayor Ethan Strimling, who frayed his relationship with councilors and city staff by delivering a scathing budget message on April 25, ended up supporting the plan, declaring that the India Street clinic “has been saved.”

That assertion seems to be based on the fact that about 90 percent of the patients, excluding those with HIV, would not see a change in location of services, while ignoring a change in management and potentially staff. Strimling pointed to a series of amendments increasing oversight, extending the time line and involving patients for winning his support.

“The structures in place give us a better chance of getting this right,” Strimling read from a written statement before the vote. He vowed to call on the council to take action if the transition doesn’t go as planned.

Councilor Jon Hinck voted against the budget, saying that he felt it would be a “leap of faith” to assume that relationships and services could be replicated at the Portland Community Health Center. He also had concerns about including such a significant proposal in the city budget.

A few councilors lamented the vitriol and misinformation that has been directed at them and staff. Some advocates have characterized the city as prioritizing golf courses over health care, giving tax breaks to businesses and simply leaving patients out in the cold. None of that is true, they said.

“I have never seen the type of campaign on this issue by a few people, and to me there’s no room in our political discourse for personal attacks,” Councilor David Brenerman said, shortly before a woman shouted from the balcony, “You’re the one behaving badly!”

At least one advocate stormed out of the chambers while accusing Councilor Jill Duson of showing poor taste by saying the transition plan is one that “people can live with, pun intended.” Several advocates and patients worry that they will lose their doctors, health care and potentially their lives.

The decision came after another emotional evening of public testimony dominated by people seeking to keep the city clinic open and intact. At several points, the mayor used his gavel to restore decorum, as audience members either applauded or reacted negatively to speakers, including the council.

Before Monday, there had been several public rallies supporting the clinic, and an online petition to save it has collected more than 1,900 signatures.

One man said that 200 patients might not seem like a lot of people to affect while saving money, but he assured the council that those lives, including his own, were priceless. That prompted a strong response from John Newton, a member of the Maine AFL-CIO executive board.

“Did you hear the man? You guys didn’t know what you were getting yourselves into. The city manager put this on the table and it shouldn’t be on the table,” Newton said loudly, slamming his hand on the lectern. “It’s morally outrageous.”

Joey Brunelle, who has organized rallies to save the city clinic, said he was pleased that the transition will be slowed. But he didn’t celebrate keeping about three-fourths of the services intact, because of people he knows who receive care for HIV.

“I hesitate to call that victory because it doesn’t feel like a victory,” Brunelle said. “I may not agree, but I understand the rationale, and if it is the city’s decision I am prepared to do everything I can to make that transition suck as little as possible.”

Three former city councilors, however, said they supported the proposal as a way to contain property taxes. “In my view it is way past time for the city to focus on the basics,” said West End resident Anne Pringle, a former mayor.

The budget contains a property tax increase despite a development boom that has added more than $68 million to the city’s overall property valuation and is estimated to bring in an additional $1.4 million in taxes each year. It also comes as the city is expecting to receive $10.6 million in excise taxes next year, a $700,000 increase, and a 13 percent increase in building permit and business licensing revenue.

However, the city’s expenses also are growing, including a 14 percent increase in health care costs that is adding $2 million to the budget. City employees also are getting a 2 percent cost-of-living raise, and the city’s new minimum wage law has added nearly $50,000 to the budget. Also, county taxes will increase by $177,000.

When combined with the school budget of $103.6 million, the overall city budget increases property taxes by 2.3 percent, bringing the tax rate to $21.10 per $1,000 of assessed value from $20.63 per $1,000. That would result in a $141 property tax increase on a home with an assessed value of $300,000.

Tax increases in each of the past three years have ranged from 3 percent to 3.1 percent. Jennings said a status quo budget would have added 5 percent to the tax rate.

The budget approved Monday eliminates eight full-time positions, but it’s unclear whether there will be layoffs.

Before approving the budget, the council eliminated a part-time bike-pedestrian coordinator position and a school resource officer position that was recommended by the Finance Committee. Councilors believed that existing staff could handle bike issues, and were concerned that the resource officer was added without the School Board’s recommendation.

CORRECTION: This story was updated at 10:10 a.m. on May 17, 2016 to include the amount of the increase in total excise tax revenue budgeted.

Here at MaineToday Media we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.

To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use. Click here to flag and report a comment that violates our terms of use.

Cynical Sailor

The city figured out that Portland was providing regional services to non-city residents and was a strain on city taxpayers, good for the city council.
Yet both the State and Cumberland County remains strangely silent- why?
The free ride appears to be over and the County now needs to step up and fill the void, the same County that now has an empty civic center and outstanding bond obligations.
Socialsm has limits and the limits are the taxpayers wallets.

reallly??

You haven’t clue what you are talking about !!!! The chamber was in charge of what happened at the civic center ..they made a bad deal (and were warned they were doing so) ..and the rest of us will have to pay for it ….

shooter777

Correct..city actually stepped into negotiations citing their opinion that the trustees were playing too much hardball with the Pirates. If the city leaders had run the negotiations the situation would have been much worse.

Not Bob Moses

Other than Suslovic, Ray, Thibodeau and the Mayor these Councilors suck. I can’t believe they removed the Bike / Ped coordinator position, which is largely funded by private developers and only $6k by the city. This was accomplished by a last-minute amendment instigated by corrupt City Manager Jon Jennings and put in place by his willing executioner Jill Duson. This type of corrupt politics has no place in our city, and all 6 will pay dearly for it.

shooter777

Can you expound upon what the ‘bike/ped coordinator did to merit the $6K? Never even heard if this position. But despite your objection, I don’t think the 6 Councilors your refer to feel threatened about losing their seats due to losing support of a few cyclists.

Not Bob Moses

The Bike / Ped coordinator helps to implement better bicycle and pedestrian facilities, adding value to the city. Investing in bike / ped has a huge return on investment and is highly valued by citizens of Portland. The vast majority of this position is funded by non-City sources, and that money will now get left on the table. It’s just plain stupid and is a case of gross mismanagement on the part of Jon Jennings.

Unfortunately, auto-centric dinosaurs like Jennings don’t get it, and are unaccountably hostile to bike / ped. He knew we would have been able to turn enough Councilors to get the amendment abolishing the position thrown out, so used his pawn Duson to get it put up at the last minute.

Portland has a system to recall Councilors. I suspect many of them, especially Duson, are going to be hearing this call very soon.

shooter777

Huge returns on the investment? It is several positions like this that add up quickly. ‘Recall’ councilors because of the elimination of this position which effects a couple hundred Portland residents? How about the 14% in tax increases in Brennan’s term, now it appears it will continue with this clown Mayor. Those who pay the freight are the ones who should be doing the recalls. The patients of India Street have to realize times have changed. Cutbacks are necessary everywhere. This city is driving out those ‘owners of homes with a value of $300,000″.

TheWholeTruth

Jennings is corrupt? Maybe you should look at your beloved mayor. The one who was staying at the $400 a night Hyatt after leaving his wife. Tough on a $60k salary but not if its owned by one of Portlands biggest developers. Or maybe ask his new girlfriend who works for a company interested in the state pier. The same state pier he was immediately talking about developing after he was elected. For once the city has made a tough choice that benefits the taxpayers of the city such as my family.

reallly??

sorry strimling got it right when he said jenning was selling the people down the river for developers….. closing the clinic to pay for his $500,000 streamlined development process!!! Frankly I prefer to think Jenning didn’t know what hornets nest he was walking into ….others say I am wrong , and he knows exactly what he is doing..I prefer to think his political naivite is being manipulated but…

what is happening here is a conflict of philosophies ….. jenning (and others) just happen be on the front line of the UNNECESSARY and on going conflict !!

What is the purpose of government ? To serve the people or to serve the chamber.(economic development interest) .. THAT is the conflict that is playing itself out here!! To most of us clearly the purpose of government is “to serve the people”…… For decades ,some have been trying to remake the purpose of government into something else : to subsidize and facilitate the “freemarket” .. thru taxpayer $$’s … such as taxpayers paying for and subsidizing a “streamlined” development process to the tune of $500,000 in taxpayer $$ for the same developers …. that “the people” are going to referenda or suing over ..

shooter777

You are leaving out his hiring of a personal valet to help with his workload, discovered after 3 whole months on the job.

reallly??

suslovich is the worst yet, how he got reelected ,after losing his seat, is way beyond me!! He (with an assist from the other councilors (past and current) … is selling our city off to any and all developers….and having taxpayers pay for it —such a deal —-we are such fools!!!

doesitmatteranyway

DId Jill Duson really say “people can live with, pun intended” If so it just shows how far she has left her words from a 2011 Press Herald story behind. She is quoted as saying “my sense of people being able to come together and accomplish is embedded in me.” Shame on you JILL for being so disrespectful of all who have supported the patients of India Street and taking their willingness to protest for what they believe in or live with, the very thing you grew up with.

Not Bob Moses

It’s time to initiate a recall petition on Councilor Duson.

shooter777

Go for a nice bike ride, Bob. Nice evening for it. Remember, stop signs and red lights must be observed by cyclists too.

shooter777

No surprise that it was FORMER councilors who spoke about containing property taxes. Property tax payers in Portland face some of the same hardships that the patients of India St face. Due to the Affordable care act, many had to change physicians, had to travel to new locations. The difference however, is that they have to pay more, in some instances a lot more, for these inconveniences.

reallly??

many former councilor are exploiting their past friendships for personal gain….and current councilors are letting them …. that is the only part of your comment you got right….. can you say” I’m your puppet” ??

shooter777

Only part I got right ? Thousands of people were mislead by Obama and his ‘if you like your doctor…………’ BS. As a result many were forced to new physicians, new networks and a whole lot more money. These patients @ India St had to commute less than 2 miles. What’s 2 miles to get one of the free 140,000 needles !

doesitmatteranyway

Doesn’t end with the council members friendships. Leslie Clark CEO of the Portland Community Health Center held a fund raiser for our Mayor, the connection between the CEO of the Maine Primary Care Association (whose letter was read at the council meeting) and the Director of Human Services. How much financial support will the cIty be providing the HEALTH CENTER to take over the school health clinics the Ryan White program and next year the school based dental clinics, STD and the needle exchange? Looks like there is more to this story than we will ever know.

EmmyM

Did you know that ALL of the HIV positive patients receiving care at India Street have insurance? Some have private insurance, some Medicare and/or Mainecare. They even make co-pays! STD services are also paid for by clients or billed to insurance, unless the patients meet specific criteria set forth by the grant. This is not free care!

BehindMirror

Good decision. Better decision: Tax Maine Medical Center buildings for doing nothing for these people to begin with.

shooter777

Mirror, while I am certainly on your side as far as these hospitals claiming poverty and then buying up precious properties on the West end, do you actually think they are compensated for all the ODs brought into their emergency centers? The city and hospitals get stiffed on all costs associated with these calls.

BehindMirror

On the surface it would appear they may take their hits on certain things. These are compensated for in adjustments to other items and services, vis-a-vis, the $20 aspirin to the paying patient.
As said, Shooter, the real cash that is buying and building all those places is what they have in their balance sheet. They are a very rich organization and could care for a few more of these less fortunate people. In fact, I would say they have an obligation to.

doesitmatteranyway

Maine Medical Center and other community health partners were in discussions with the city on helping with these services. Those discussions ended when cIty hall decided to give the programs to the Health Center. What prompted that decision?

duxndrakes

Whats the matter,Portland? Running out of money? Taxing people to death not working out?…say it aint so.

TheWholeTruth

Thank you Portland city council for putting the taxpayers first for once.

reallly??

e Time for the council and staff to stop being owned by the Camber andtheir developer interests and to start serving “the people”, again. It IS their job to serve the people..including heath care and GA , NOT to serve the development interest by “streamlinig the process” at the cost of 1/2 a million to tax payers ..they didn’t blink an eye at that added cost to taxpayers !! They thought that was great!! ….

The council approves rezoning after rezoning , against the law and against residents wishes…. purportedly, in the name of “expanding the tax base” with additional property taxes that never seem to REDUCE the property rate ..how does that happen?? The people,the one’s who actually elected them, the ones they are SUPPOSED to be serving, need to endless sue and go to referenda and protest to be heard and to be served. This council is NOT doing their job to “serve the people and haven’t for a long time and the people are saying ENOUGH !!!

So the council can expect more “bad behavior” from residents until they start to serve those they were elected to serve …. the people—, taxpayers all

.Ex-councilors are serving their own best interests ( and their firm’s ) and have been exploiting and using their past relationship for too long to further their own self interest .That is why they became councilors—–to pad their resume for the development community ..They now advertise their skills set :. to help “developers “negotiate” federal,state and local laws ” Translations: We have “friends” in place who make the laws , who will help you break and trump the law !!! these political “favor for friends” antics need to end and this council needs to go .

This late “arriving”coverage by the PPH is odd and biased. I had to go to the BDN to see what happened at the council meeting last night ….. and needless to say the BDN headline and coverage was the exact opposite of this one!! The people are sick of the council and the papers coverage being owned by the chamber …

Way back in the 50’s the same political “climate” existed — led by the same “partners”. That “partnership” between the council.,planners, and the chamber didn’t work out well for the city or her people ……it was a disaster that had long term consequences that we are still dealing with today. It resulted in half of our city being razed to make way for ‘industry” that never came……. (think Bayside’s parking lots and empty lots )…and the relocation of 20,000 people and the shuttering of small businesses. . downtown became a ghost town as a resut …and is still struggling to survive and thrive 6 decades later …bad decisions have bad consequences .

.This council needs to go–all of them— and needs be replaced by one who understands their job is to partner with the people who elected them not partner with the people who funded them. We need councilors who understand who’s best interest they are suppose to serve and it is not the chamber’s …. throw the bums out —all of them!!! We have the most out of touch, and collusive council since the 50’s.. who are turning OUR city over to the chamber once again….

doesitmatteranyway

It’s not about doing what’s best for the taxpayers, it’s about behaving in the best possible professional manner and staying above the muck when representing all the taxpayers!

gadfly371

All? You say all? Who am I leaving out?

gadfly371

Look what “activists” and their “clients” do when things don’t go their way. Waaaaaaaa!

EmmyM

Some people actually get HIV from transfusions, rape, birth (HIV + mother).
Jill and many councilors were unprofessional during public testimony last night by shaking their heads, rolling their eyes, grimacing, etc. Time to go, councilors! If you can’t take the heat….

Nana

Well played Mayor Strimling, show your support for India Street, create a diversion from all the negative press you have been receiving both politically and personally, and when it came down to the real test you voted against India Street. Who won really?